Sadly as populism continues to rally across Europe, I cannot imagine this getting better anymore soon. Especially since populism tends to lean heavily towards very short term and shallow solutions instead of long term permanent ones.
"Build baby build" is not a silver bullet.
A hypothetical possibility that doesn't hold true for any city that has enacted rent controls.
"Build baby build" is a silver bullet.
Using Manhattan as your example of maximum possible density is... odd. Kowloon City [1] had much higher density and had the disadvantage of poverty.
I'm not saying that we should turn all residential areas into facsimiles of Kowloon City, but there is a ton of space between what currently exists - even in Manhattan - and that. I'm deeply skeptical that any place in the US or Europe has reached the limits of building more housing and is forced to look at other options.
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Market fragmentation and opaqueness helps keep prices higher
This can work in conjunction with building more and give more ways to curb excess
What a curious anti capitalist sentiment.
First, I think most capitalists agree that regulation in some form is required, as totally free markets are inherently unstable. Second, this ignores the governments role beforehand in encouraging subprime loans and afterwards during the bailout. Third, it ignores the fact that by most measures, capitalism has increased the global standard is living too literally unheard of levels. In almost every part of the world, now is better than any other time in history to be alive. Not to imply that some things arent seriously wrong and require fixing, but let's give credit where credit is due and not throw the baby out with the bath water
ordinary people = renters
elite groups = rentier class
democracy = mob rule
When more than 50% of the populace are renters they have the power to enact rent control in democracies.
Populism is not and has never been a right wing thing. Populism is the idea the the people should control society and their interests are more important than abstract concepts like the economy which benefit primarily the elite. The term has no political leaning.
Rent control is not a leftist policy. It's neoliberalism. Neoliberalism is not leftist in the slightest. It's simply a rebranding of right wing policy.
Rent control is populism.
EU tops rankings for quality of life and standard of living every year. Sprinkle in some canadian, Australian Japanese and new Zealand cities an there is your top 50.
'Countries with cities commonly ranked in the top 50 include Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Australia, Sweden and the United States. Vienna (Austria) has been ranked first for ten consecutive years.'
I mean, sure, Germany has more cities on the list than the US; but Germany isn't the EU. Most of the EU has zero cities in the top 50.
EU has 30 of the top 50 places....US has 6...come on now.
Also, I am flattered (truly!) that our conversations have left a lasting impression wrt my opinion on American housing.